Deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region Dr. Johnmark Opondo, said they are most concerned about microcephaly, a developmental disorder where newborns are born with abnormally small heads.

"Early pregnancy is the riskiest time. If it's right at the beginning, like the first few days. That's just isn't great," Opondo said. "It's a mild illness with rash and fever but it can have this severe effect on pregnant women."

Currently there is no vaccine for the virus, and so Opondo says local health officials advise expectant mothers to consider postponing or cancelling trips to infected regions.

As recently as 2013, the virus had never been recorded in the Western Hemisphere, but is spreading quickly across the Americas. On Wednesday, three cases of Zika virus, Florida’s first, were recorded in people who had recently traveled in Latin America.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said there have been no reported cases of locally acquired Zika virus in Canada, and say the risk of that happening is low.

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